Head of School

Lead with Vision. Inspire Excellence. Shape the Future of Specialist Education.

At Castle Garden School, we're looking for an inspirational and ambitious Head of School to lead our school community, drive educational excellence and create an environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced senior leader in specialist education who is ready to take ownership of the school's day-to-day leadership, shape its strategic direction and make a lasting difference to young people with additional and complex needs.

Working closely with the Executive Headteacher and wider Outcomes First Group team, you'll have the opportunity to lead school improvement, develop an ambitious and personalised curriculum, and inspire a talented team of education professionals.

You'll combine high expectations with a compassionate and inclusive approach, ensuring students receive exceptional teaching, therapeutic support and opportunities to develop academically, socially and emotionally.

• Provide inspirational strategic and operational leadership, creating a clear vision and driving continuous improvement across all aspects of school life.
• Lead the development and delivery of a broad, balanced and personalised curriculum, ensuring teaching, assessment and interventions support outstanding student progress.
• Drive improvements in student achievement, attendance, behaviour and wellbeing, using performance information and self-evaluation to identify priorities.
• Lead, motivate and develop the school's Senior Leadership Team and wider staff, embedding a culture of high expectations, accountability and professional development.
• Maintain the highest standards of safeguarding, health and safety and regulatory compliance, ensuring the school is prepared for inspections and meets statutory requirements.
• Oversee school improvement planning, quality assurance and performance monitoring, ensuring clear objectives translate into measurable outcomes.
• Manage school resources, budgets, admissions and operational priorities, supporting the school's continued success and sustainable development.
• Build strong partnerships with families, local authorities, external professionals and the wider community, championing the school and securing the best possible opportunities for students.

We're looking for an experienced and confident school leader who combines strategic thinking with a genuine passion for improving the lives of young people.

You'll bring:

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or an equivalent teaching qualification.

• At least three successive years of senior leadership experience within special education.

• A proven track record of raising student achievement, improving behaviour and driving school improvement.

• Experience leading curriculum development, assessment and quality assurance across a range of ages and abilities.

• Strong experience of staff leadership, recruitment, performance management and professional development.

• Experience supporting students with behaviours that challenge, using inclusive and effective approaches.

• A sound understanding of safeguarding, school health and safety, statutory requirements and inspection expectations.

• Experience managing school resources and contributing to effective operational planning.

• The ability to build positive relationships with families, colleagues, external agencies and local authorities.

• Excellent communication, organisation and decision-making skills, with the resilience and confidence to lead positive change.

• A commitment to continued professional development and delivering the highest standards of specialist education.

Experience of financial management, a postgraduate or specialist education qualification, or completion of NPQH would be an advantage.

Lead a School Where Every Achievement Matters

At Castle Garden School, we believe that every student deserves an education that recognises their individuality, builds on their strengths and creates opportunities for a successful future.

As our Head of School, you'll have the opportunity to influence every aspect of that journey, from developing exceptional teaching and supporting staff to creating a school culture where students feel safe, valued and inspired to achieve.

If you're an experienced senior leader in specialist education who is ready to take the next step and lead with ambition, compassion and purpose, we'd love to hear from you.